Method and system for collaborating advisors

• US 7,848,984 B1
• Filed: 12/08/2000
• Issued: 12/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: III Holdings 1, LLC
• Original Assignee: Collaborate Solutions Incorporated
• Inventors: Robb, Paul H.
• Primary Examiner(s): CAMPEN, KELLY SCAGGS
• Application Number:
  US09/732,008
• Time in Patent Office: 3,651 Days
• Field of Search: 705/35, 705/36, 705/26, 705/80, 705/50, 705/36.R, 709/24, 709/217, 709/227, 379/202.01
• US Class Current: 705/36.00R
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/54 Interprogram communication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/06 Asset management; Financial planning or analysis

Abstract

A common collaboration tool for a financial services client and authorized advisors to work together online through the common tool is provided. The tool enables a scope of authorization to be given to advisors and/or other participants for security and confidentiality reasons. The tool enables advisors (and/or other participants) to access information submitted (or authorized) by the client to collaborate as a cohesive team in sharing information, devising a plan, addressing client'"'"'s concerns, drafting (or modifying) a document and performing other services for the client.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for providing an electronic collaboration tool with which a financial services client and one or more financial services provider participants may interact, wherein the electronic collaboration tool is hosted on an information processing hub accessible to the financial services client and the financial services provider participants over one or more network communication links, the method being executed by one or more processors and comprising:

enabling authorization of one or more participants to access client data and documents stored in one or more databases coupled to the information processing hub, wherein the client data and documents are related to one or more services provided for the financial services client through the electronic collaboration tool, wherein the one or more authorized participants include at least the financial services provider participants;

enabling the financial services client and the authorized participants to submit client data and documents related to the services provided for the financial services client to the electronic collaboration tool, wherein the client data and documents submitted to the electronic collaboration tool are stored in the one or more databases;

enabling the financial services client to request one or more services from the financial services provider participants through the electronic collaboration tool; and

enabling the financial services provider participants to provide the requested services for the financial services client through the electronic collaboration tool, wherein enabling the financial services provider participants to provide the requested services includes enabling bi-directional communication between each of the financial services clients and the financial services provider participants and further enabling multi-directional communication among the authorized participants, wherein the electronic collaboration tool is configured to enable the financial service provider participants;

(i) to access at least a portion of the stored financial services client data and documents according to the financial service provider participant'"'"'s scope of authorization;

(ii) to modify one or more accessed documents via the electronic collaboration tool such that the one or more modified documents are accessible to the financial services client and authorized ones of the financial service provider participants through the electronic collaboration tool; and

(iii) to store the one or more modified documents.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the authorized participants comprise advisors of the financial services client.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the authorized participants comprise one or more entities authorized by the financial services client to participate in the electronic collaboration tool, wherein participating in the electronic collaboration tool includes providing one or more of the requested services for the financial services client.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising enabling the financial services client to define a scope of authorization for each of the authorized participants.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the client documents comprise financial documents associated with the financial services client.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the financial services participants comprise financial advisors of the financial services client.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the client documents comprise client work product associated with the financial services client, wherein client the work product comprises one or more of documents, strategies, ideas, plans, correspondences, or communications associated with the financial services client.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising enabling the financial services client to view input that one or more of the authorized participants provide to the electronic collaboration tool, wherein the input that the one or more authorized participants provide to the electronic collaboration tool comprises one or more of edits, analysis, or comments related to the client data or documents.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising enabling the financial services client to define one or more triggering events and one or more alert mechanisms, wherein the alert mechanisms are used to send a notification to the financial services client in response to an occurrence of one or more of the triggering events, wherein the notification is sent over the network communication links.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the databases include a client history database maintaining information related to one or more previous updates relating to the client data or the services requested by the financial services client, the method further comprising enabling the financial services client to access the client history database.

11. A computer implemented method for providing an electronic collaboration tool with which one or more service provider participants may collaborate with each other, wherein the electronic collaboration tool is hosted on an information processing hub accessible to the client and the service provider participants over one or more network communication links, the method being executed by one or more processors and comprising:

enabling the one or more service provider participants to receive authorization by a client to access client data and documents stored in one or more databases coupled to the information processing hub, wherein the client data and documents are related to one or more services provided for the client through the electronic collaboration tool; and

enabling the authorized service provider participants to access the electronic collaboration tool, wherein, the electronic collaboration tool enables bi-directional communication between the client and each of the authorized service provider participants and further enables multi-directional communication among the authorized service provider participants

wherein the electronic collaboration tool is configured to enable the service provider participants;

(i) to access at least a portion of the stored financial services client data and documents according to the service provider participant'"'"'s scope of authorization;

(ii) to modify one or more accessed documents via the electronic collaboration tool such that the one or more modified documents are accessible to the client and authorized ones of the service provider participants through the electronic collaboration tool; and

(iii) to store the one or more modified documents.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the authorized service provider participants comprise advisors of the client.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the authorized service provider participants comprise one or more entities authorized by the client to participate in the electronic collaboration tool, wherein participating in the electronic collaboration tool includes providing one or more of the requested services for the client.

14. The method of claim 11 further comprising enabling the client to define the respective scope of authorization for each of the authorized service provider participants.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the client documents comprise financial documents associated with the client.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein one or more of the authorized service provider participants comprise financial advisors of the client.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the client documents comprise work product associated with the client, wherein the work product comprises one or more of documents, strategies, ideas, plans, correspondences, or communications associated with the client.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising enabling the authorized service provider participants to provide input to the electronic collaboration tool, wherein the input that the authorized service provider participants provide to the electronic collaboration tool comprises one or more of edits, analysis, or comments related to the client data or documents.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the databases include a history database, the method further comprising storing activity of the authorized service provider participants associated with the electronic collaboration tool in the history database, wherein the activity relates to the services requested by the client.

20. A computer implemented system for providing an electronic collaboration tool with which a financial services client and one or more financial service provider participants may interact, the system comprising:

an information processing hub configured to host the electronic collaboration tool, the information processing hub accessible to the financial services client and the financial services provider participants over one or more network communication links, wherein the electronic collaboration tool includes one or more processing systems comprising one or more processors collectively configured to;

enable authorization of one or more participants to access client data and documents stored in one or more databases coupled to the information processing hub, wherein the client data and documents are related to one or more services provided for the financial services client through the electronic collaboration tool, wherein the one or more authorized participants include at least the financial services provider participants;

enable the financial services client and the authorized participants to submit client data and documents related to the services provided for the financial services client to the electronic collaboration tool, wherein the client data and documents submitted to the electronic collaboration tool are stored in the one or more databases;

enable the financial services client to request one or more services from the financial services provider participants through the electronic collaboration tool; and

enable the financial services provider participants to provide the requested services for the financial services client through the electronic collaboration tool, wherein enabling the financial services provider participants to provide the requested services includes enabling bi-directional communication between the financial services client and each of the financial services provider participants and further enabling multi-directional communication among the authorized participants,

wherein the electronic collaboration tool is configured to enable the financial service provider participants;

(i) to access at least a portion of the stored financial services client data and documents according to the financial service provider participant'"'"'s scope of authorization;

(ii) to modify one or more accessed documents via the electronic collaboration tool such that the one or more modified documents are accessible to the financial services client and authorized ones of the financial service provider participants through the electronic collaboration tool; and

(iii) to store the one or more modified documents.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the authorized participants comprise advisors of the financial services client.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the authorized participants comprise one or more entities authorized by the financial services client to participate in the electronic collaboration tool, wherein participating in the electronic collaboration tool includes providing one or more of the requested services for the financial services client.

23. The system of claim 20, wherein the processing systems are further configured to enable the financial services client to define a scope of authorization for each of the authorized participants.

24. The system of claim 20, wherein the client documents comprise financial documents associated with the financial services client.

25. The system of claim 20, wherein the financial services participants comprise financial advisors of the financial services client.

26. The system of claim 20, wherein the client documents comprise client work product associated with the financial services client, wherein the client work product comprises one or more of documents, strategies, ideas, plans, correspondences, or communications associated with the financial services client.

27. The system of claim 20, wherein the processing systems are further configured to enable the financial services client to view input that one or more of the authorized participants provide to the electronic collaboration tool, wherein the input that the one or more authorized participants provide to the electronic collaboration tool comprises one or more of edits, analysis, or comments related to the client data or documents.

28. The system of claim 20, wherein the processing systems are further configured to enable the financial services client to define one or more triggering events and one or more alert mechanisms, wherein the alert mechanisms are used to send a notification to the financial services client in response to an occurrence of one or more of the triggering events, wherein the notification is sent over the network communication links.

29. The system of claim 20, wherein the databases include a client history database maintaining information related to one or more previous updates relating to the client data or the services requested by the financial services client, the method further comprising enabling the financial services client to access the client history database.

30. A computer implemented system for providing a collaboration tool with which one or more service provider participants may collaborate with each other, the system comprising:

an information processing hub configured to host the electronic collaboration tool, the information processing hub accessible to the client and the service provider participants over one or more network communication links, wherein the electronic collaboration tool includes one or more processing systems comprising one or more processors collectively configured to;

enable the one or more service provider participants to receive authorization by the client to access client data and documents stored in one or more databases coupled to the information processing hub, wherein the client data and documents are related to one or more services provided for the client through the electronic collaboration tool;

enable the authorized service provider participants to access the electronic collaboration tool, wherein the electronic collaboration tool enables bi-directional communication between the client and each of the authorized service provider participants and further enables multi-directional communication among the authorized service provider participants

wherein the electronic collaboration tool is configured to enable the service provider participants;

(i) to access at least a portion of the stored client data and documents according to the service provider participant'"'"'s scope of authorization,

(ii) to modify one or more accessed documents via the electronic collaboration tool such that the one or more modified documents are accessible to the client and authorized ones of the service provider participants through the electronic collaboration tool; and

(iii) to store the one or more modified documents.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the authorized participants comprise advisors of the financial services client.

32. The system of claim 30 wherein, wherein the authorized participants comprise one or more entities authorized by the financial services client to participate in the electronic collaboration tool, wherein participating in the electronic collaboration tool includes providing one or more of the requested services for the financial services client.

33. The system of claim 30, wherein the processing systems are further configured to enable the financial services client to define a scope of authorization for each of the authorized participants.

34. The system of claim 30, wherein the client documents comprise financial documents associated with the financial services client.

35. The system of claim 30, wherein the authorized service provider participants comprise advisors of the client.

36. The system of claim 30, wherein the client documents comprise client work product associated with the client, wherein client the work product comprises one or more of documents, strategies, ideas, plans, correspondences, or communications associated with the client.

37. The system of claim 30, wherein the processing systems are further configured to enable the authorized service provider participants to provide input to the electronic collaboration tool, wherein the input that the authorized service provider participants provide to the electronic collaboration tool comprises one or more of edits, analysis, or comments related to the client data or documents.

38. The system of claim 30, wherein the databases include a history database, the method further comprising storing activity of the authorized service provider participants associated with the electronic collaboration tool in the history database, wherein the activity relates to the services requested by the client.

39. A computer implemented method for providing an electronic collaboration tool with which a client and a plurality of financial services advisor participants of the client may interact, wherein the electronic collaboration tool is hosted on an information processing hub accessible to the client and the financial services advisor participants over one or more network communication links, the method being executed by one or more processors and comprising:

enabling the client to submit personal and financial data and documents to the electronic collaboration tool, wherein the personal and financial data and documents submitted to the electronic collaboration tool are stored in one or more databases coupled to the information processing hub, wherein the one or more databases include a client history database;

enabling the client to authorize one or more of the plurality of financial services advisor participants to access the personal and financial data and documents stored in the one or more databases, wherein the client can define a respective level of access to the personal and financial data and documents for each of the authorized financial services advisor participants;

enabling the client to request one or more services from the authorized financial services advisor participants through the electronic collaboration tool, wherein the authorized financial services advisor participants can select one or more activities related to the requested services;

storing activity of the authorized financial services advisor participants associated with the electronic collaboration tool in the client history database, wherein the activity stored in the client history database includes information related to at least one of the services requested by the client or the activities selected by the authorized financial services advisor participants; and

enabling bi-directional communication between the client and each of the authorized financial services advisor participants over the network communication links and further enables multi-directional communication among the authorized financial services advisor participants over the network communication links,

wherein the electronic collaboration tool is configured to enable the financial service advisor participants;

(i) to access at least a portion of the stored personal and financial client data and documents according to the financial service advisor participant'"'"'s scope of authorization;

(ii) to modify one or more accessed documents via the electronic collaboration tool such that the one or more modified documents are accessible to the client and authorized ones of the financial service advisor participants through the electronic collaboration tool; and

(iii) to store the one or more modified documents.

40. The computer implemented method of claim 39, further comprising:

enabling the client to request an update of the client'"'"'s files from one or more of the authorized financial services advisor participants, wherein the client'"'"'s files include at least the personal and financial data and documents stored in the one or more databases; and

enabling the client to define one or more personalized alerts in response to one or more triggering events, wherein one or more of the personalized alerts are sent to the client over the network communication links in response to an occurrence of one or more of the triggering events.

41. The computer implemented method of claim 39, further comprising:

enabling the client and the authorized financial services advisor participants to view and edit one or more documents related to the client, wherein the personal and financial data and documents stored in the one or more databases;

enabling the client and the authorized financial services advisor participants to view a summary of edits for the one or more documents, wherein the summary of the edits is stored in the client history database; and

enabling the client and the authorized financial services advisor participants to engage in a real time online conference through the electronic collaboration tool.